Water heater



Sept. 27,1921. 1 1,643,533

. A. E. ANIA WATER HEATER Filed Maron 24, 192e 2 sheets-sheet 1 ZZ J7 4Z' Z f y ,f Z 4f M da f V'. Z if "if /fW-fi f' if Z0 'il Z? I i 4 f* #J"ql l 7 l' c 5,1' i. f ff ATTONEY sept. 27, 1927. 1,643,533

A. E. ANIA WATER HEATER Filed March 24, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY of Figure 1.

Patented Sept. 27, 1927. f

UNITED STATES lANTHONY ERNEST KANIA, QF CORONA, NEW YORK.

WATER HEATER.

Application led March 24, 1926. Serial No. 97,100.

This invention relates to improvements in Water heaters and especially for use in connection -with the heating of water for household purposes. v y

The primary object of the invention resides in a water heater in which the cold water or water to be heated is subjected to the heat of a continuous circulation of boil'- ing water whereby the waterwhich serves as the heating elelnent after reaching a boiling point, is maintained in such state by a minimum amount of fuel such as gas, coal or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hot water heater which can be in` stalled to require but a small amount of space, and is inexpensive for installation and upkeep.

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention resides in certain novel construction and combination and arrangementfof parts, the essential features of which are hereinafter fully described, are particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and ai'e illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in whichz Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sec-- tional view through my improved water heater.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view on the'line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a similar view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a similar view on the line 4-4 Figure 5 is an' enlarged vertical sectional View of one of the pressure relief valves.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral designates a tank comprising inner and outer spaced walls 11 and 12 respectively, between which a layer of heat insulating material 13 is interposed. The tank is supported upon a suitable base or legs 14, so as to elevate the bottom of the tank above the floor or. o ther supporting structure. The tank 1s divided by spaced liorizontal-partitions 15 and 16 into an upper reservoir or storage compartment 17, and intermediate coil compartment V 18, and a lowerburner compartment 19.

rThe numeral designates the cold water supply pipe of the water system of a dwelling and from which an inlet pipe 21 branches and extends through the top of the tank t0 a point adjacent the partition 15. A control valve 22 is arranged in the inlet pipe exvertical pipe 26 extending upward through N the partition 15 and into the reservoir 17 adjacent the top thereof. The portion o'f the pipe 26 which extends into the reservoir is enclosed in a tubular casing 27 butterminates short of the top thereof and is disposed in spaced relation thereto. The space be tween the tubular casing and the pipe 26 is filled with cork oi other heat insulating material 28' so as to prevent the cold water in the reservoir from acting upon and cooling the heatdd water in its passage through the pipe 26. For draining purposes, thepipe 26 extends down to a point adjacent the'partition 16 and outward to the exterior of the tank and to which a faucet 29 is attached. A pipe 30 connects the reservoir 17 with the drain whereby the reservoir may be emptied for cleaning purposes.

A copper gas water back 31 is disposed within the burner compartment 19 and comprises a plurality of hollow legs 32, each leg divided into a pair of chambers or passages 33 and'34 which communicate at' their lower ends. The chambers 33 open into the compartment 18, while the inner chambers 34 .communicate with a cylinder 35 extending well into the compartment. The compartment 18 contains a supply of water which is filled by means of a pipe 36 connected with the cold water supply vpipe 20, and a cont-rol valve 37 is provided for regulating the flow of water tothe compartment as the same may be needed. The lower end. of the pipe 36 is connected with the branch pipe 38 of a i coal stove water back 39 which enters the top of the compartment. The water back 39 extends into the fire box 40vof a coal stove or furnace and also includes a returning branch pipe 41, which enters the bottom of the compartment From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the compartment is filled with a supply of water which is circulated through `the water back 39V where it is heated by the coals in the fire box. As circulating water enters the top of the compartment through a branch pipe 38, and is maintained at a boiling point to heat the coils 24 and 25,l the cooler water tends to drop to the bottom of the compartment and returns to the water backthrough the pipe 41 for reheating.

When the c'oal stove or furnace is not in operation, use is made of a gas burner I41 disposed beneath the gas water back 31 and which heats the water in the compartment in the following manner. The water in the compartment fills the chambers 33 and 34 in the water backl 31, whereupon the heated Water rises through the chambers 34 and into the cylinder 35, thence upward. A pressure relief valve 42 normally seats itself by gravity upon the seat 43 provided in the top or open end of the cylinder, and which valve is provided with restricted passages 44 to allow a limited amount of hot water or pressure to escape from the water back into the coil compartment. When the pressure due to the expansion of the heated water in the gas water back overcomes the weight of the valve, the valve automatically rises and allows the free escape of the heated water into the coil compartment. This tends to keep the water in the coil compartment always in boiling condition, for if the temperature of the water should drop, the valve 42 will automatically seat and would trap the water in the water back until sufficient pressure was generated to again cause the valve to rise or unseat.

The gas water back 31 `may be drained through a control cock 43 and for the purpose of shutting off the flow of Water through the water back 39, I provide one turn leaf valves 44 and 45 provided in the respective branch pipes 38 and 41. A Water level gauge 46 connects the valves .44 and 45 for indicating the level vof water in the coil compartment. The valves 44 and 45 prevent circulation of water through the water back 39 when the gas burner is in operation.

From the description thus far, it will be .seen that Water in the coil compartment may either: be heated by a gas burner, or by a coal stove or furnace when the latter are inoperative. The water circulating through the water backs and the coil compartment is maintained at a boiling point and completely surrounds the coils 24 and 25 through which the water to be heated passes.

After heat-ing the water in the coils 24 and 25, the same rises through the pipe 26, but only a limited amount of the same is permitted to enter the storage tank until the pressure due to the expansion of the heated water reaches a predetermined point. *This limited amount passes through restricted openings 47 in a-weighted valve 48 which coacts with a seat 50 in the open end of the tubular casing 27. When the pressure be- .enters the top of the tank and leads to the various hot water faucets of a water system.

For concentrating the heat from the gas burner 41 upon the gas water back 31, I enclose the lower end of the water back R31 and burner within a hood or shield 52, while a flue 53 enters the hood for carrying off the waste gases or combustion.

In the usual form. of hotpwater system, it is the practice to provide an overliow for accommodating the expansion of the water, but in lieu thereof, I provide a radiator 54 located above the tank and which is adapted to receive the excess heated water. The radiator is connected with the pipe 36 by a branch pipe 55, while a return pipe 56 connects with the pipe 41 for returning the cooler water back to the Water backs for reheating.

While I have described what I deem to be the most desirable embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that many of the details may be varied without in any way departing from the spirit of my invention, and I therefore donot limit myself to the exact details of construction 'herein set forth-nor storage compartment, a lower gas burner compartment, and an intermediate coil compartment, a cold water supply pipe eXtend-.

ing within said storage compartment, a coil within said intermediate compartment including innerand outer coil sections, the outer coil section having communication with said storage compartment to receive cold Water therefrom, a pipe leading from the inner coil section upward into said storage compartment adjacent the top thereof, a water back having communication with the bottom of said intermediate coil compartment for receiving the cool vwater adapted to be contained therein, an outlet in said water back disposed adjacent the top of said coil compartment, whereby heated water will circulate within said coil compartment to subject the coils therein to the action of heat, to heat the water passing therethrough, a burner disposed within said'burner compartment beneath said water back, and an outlet pipe entering the top of said storage compartment for drawing hot water therefrom. i

2. A water heater comprising a tank having insulated walls, a storage compartment within said tank, a cold water inlet pipe ex tending downward into said storage compartment, a coil compartment disposed beneath said storage compartment, a pipe coil disposed within said coil compartment including outer and inner coil -sections communicating with each other, the outer coil section communicating with said storage compartment to receive cold water therefrom, an insulated pipe leading from said inner coil section upward into said storage compartment adjacent the top thereof, an outlet pipe entering the top of said storage compartment, and means for circulating a body of heated water through said coil compartment for subjecting the cold water from the storage compartment to the action of heat in the passage of the cold water through said pipe coil.

3. A water heater comprising a tank, a pair of spaced partitions within said tank for dividing the same into an upper water storage compartment, a lower gas burner compartment and an intermediate coil compartment, a cold water supply vpipe extending within said storage compartment, a coil within said intermediate compartment including inner and outer coil sections, the

' outer coil section having communication with said. storage compartmentto receive coldv water therefrom, a pipe leading from the inner coil section upward into said storage compartment adjacent the top thereof, an automatic relief valve at the upper end of said pipe, a water back having communication with the bottom of said intermediate coil compartment for4 receiving the cool water adapted to be contained therein, an outlet in said water back disposed adjacent the top of said coil compartment, whereby heated water will circulate within said coil compartment,

to subject the coils therein to the action of heat` to heat the water passing therethrough, an automatic relief valve for trapping the heated water in said water back until the water therein has been heated to apredetermined degree, a burner disposed within said burner compartment beneath said water back. and an outlet pipe entering the top of said storage compartment for drawing ho water therefrom.

4. A. water heaterl comprising a tank divided into an upper water storage compartment, a lower gas burner compartment, and in intermediate coil compartment, a cold water supply pipe'extending into said storage compartment, a coil mounted within said lintermediate coil compartment, and having communication with said storage compartment to receive cold water therefrom, a pipe leading from said coilupward into said storage compartment, a water back having an inlet within said intermediate compartment for receiving the cool water adapted to be contained therein, an outlet in said water back above the said. inlet, whereby heated water will circulate within said intermediate compartment to subject said coil to the action of heat, to heat the water passing therethrough, a burner disposed within said lower gas burner compartment beneath said water back, and an outlet pipe enterin the top of sai-d storage compartment for wing hot water therefrom.

5. A water heater comprising a tank divided intol a plurality of com artments arranged one above the other, t e uppermost compartment serving as a water storage compartment, a cold water` supply pipe extending into said water storage compartment, a pipe coil mounted in the next lower compartment to said water storage compartment, and

having one end communicating with said storage compartment to receive cold water therefrom, a pipe vleading from the other end of said coil upward into said water storage compartment, a relief valve at the upper end of said pipe for trapping the heated water therein until the same reaches a predetermined temperature, a water back having communication with the said last compartment for receiving `the' cool water adapted to be contained therein and extending into the next lowermost compartment,

ani-outlet in said water back disposed adjacent the top `of the coil compartment, a burner disposed beneath said water back, and an outlet pipe entering the top ofthe uppermost compartment for drawing hot water therefrom. v l

In testimony whereof I have aixed my signature.

ANTHONY E. AMA. 

